Jil Sander SS14: a painterly moment

We had to rub our eyes when it came out on the catwalk: a print, painterly, of primary colours splashed and daubed on a white background. When was the last time we had seen Jil Sander send out a print? But far from being a glitch in the streamlined minimalism of the collection, it only served to highlight its pared-back sensuality. Sander had come up with a brand new erogenous zone for SS14: the sternum, which was framed by squared-off plunging necklines or extra-wide and stiff pinafore straps. One dress was even coated in sleek ostrich feathers, and another was the palest pearlescent hue, like a shimmering seashell. But it's not for Jil Sander to design a collection of frivolous dresses, and as Glamour editor Jo Elvin points out, even the daring cut-out ones could be worn with a bra. So Sander delivered her usual strong separates for the real woman's wardrobe: crisp leather jackets with a flare at the back, perfect a-line skirts, boyish pants and silver creepers to round it all off with a directional twist.